Kohl's Corp. will donate $1.5 million over three years to continue support of a live theater at the Milwaukee County Zoo that uses drama, puppets and music to deliver conservation messages.

The gift from the Menomonee Falls-based retailer to the Zoological Society of Milwaukee County will provide for physical improvements, new puppets and expansion of the show repertoire at the Kohl's Wild Theater. The theater was begun with a previous $1 million donation from Kohl's in 2010. | July 9, 2013»Read Full Blog Post(12)

The Viroqua native, 59, isn't one to write speeches, and he doesn't have a lot of time. This year he's been jumping around the country, producing the Foo Fighters' highly anticipated "Sonic Highways," (out Nov. 10) recorded in eight cities, with documentary cameras trailing his every move for an upcoming HBO series premiering Oct. 17. | Sept. 3, 2014»Read Full Article(1)

The fourth annual Yellow Phone Music Conference is offering about 60 free performances Friday and Saturday in the Third Ward, more than ever before. Here are 12 acts to check out: six from Milwaukee and six from out of town. For band and show location information, visit yellowphonemke.com.

With its "Horse Nation Celebration," this year's Indian SummerFestival at Maier Festival Park is paying homage to the equines that became central to the life of many tribal communities.

Northern Cheyenne horse trainer Phillip Whiteman Jr. will demonstrate the "medicine wheel model of natural horsemanship." In the Horse Nation Arena, festival visitors will be able to see 10 different breeds, including palomino, Appaloosa and the American paint horse. Therapy horses from Stepping Stones Farms in Franksville, which work with children with autism and disabilities, will be showcased. | Sept. 3, 2014»Read Full Article

Before he was famous around here for being ubiquitous, John McGivern was renowned, first in Chicago and then in Milwaukee, for playing an outrageous hairdresser in long runs of "Shear Madness." Now he's returning to his signature role in a new production of the interactive comedy-murder mystery.

"In the Absence of Sparrows," posted online Wednesday, comes from Daniel Johnson, a Boston poet who became Foley's friend years ago when they trained together in the Teach for America program. Foley stood up in Johnson's wedding and was the godfather of Johnson's son. | Sept. 3, 2014»Read Full Article

"Easter," Patti Smith's third album, features both her biggest hit and possibly her most problematic song. While it includes nine other tracks (and the CD reissue adds a tenth), I want to focus on the two biggies.

After months of physical therapy for the neck and other injuries she sustained after falling off a stage in early 1977, Smith returned to the recording studio later that year. | Sept. 3, 2014»Read Full Article

Summer may have ended, symbolically at least, with Labor Day, but we deserve a bonus round of summer, do we not? With that in mind, we're happy to share that River Rhythms, the downtown music festival, will have Sam Llanas, formerly of the BoDeans, on stage this evening. It's a rain date concert! He'll be at Pere Marquette Park on Old World Third St. between State and Kilbourn, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. For that matter, Journey will play the Summerfest grounds and Al White will take the stage at Potawatomi, a little something for every musical taste.